Saturday, April 26, 2008

The Saturday Seven: Favorite Retro Commercial Characters

I've always been a sucker for product advertising that has a lovable character or personality. Back when I was a kid, Sunbeam bread had the cutest little girl, straight out of the 1940's who was either eating a slice of bread, squeezing it, or pointing to a loaf of "butter topped bread". They must have known that no one could resist that little girl's face when it came to buying bread. Slick marketers knew how to develop relationships between consumers and products. This brings me to another scintillating edition of:
The Saturday Seven: Retro Commercial Characters
There are so many memorable, retro commercial characters...here are my favorites, I think...
#1 Aunt Jemima

#2 Mr Clean

#3 Mr Peanut

#4 Kool Aid Man


#5 Toucan Sam
#6 Poppin Fresh Doughboy
#7 Rosie and "The Quicker Picker-Upper"

Bonus entries: honorable mentions:
Madge
Cora and her coffee

Those fun dancing cigarettes
What were your favorite retro commercial characters? Any I didn't include? Go ahead, join in the fun and comment. "It will make you look younger too."
-Rick Rockhill
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19 comments:

  1. OdatApril 26, 2008 at 4:02 AM

    N E S T L E S.....Nestles makes the very best.....C H O C A L A T E!
    Remember the dog?
    Peace

    ReplyDelete
  2. Empress Bee (of the high sea)April 26, 2008 at 6:33 AM

    "i want my maypo!!!" with that little kid with the funnel on his head???

    smiles, bee
    xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mo and The PurriesApril 26, 2008 at 7:38 AM

    When I was growing up, my grandmother always said "Aunt Jeremiah" instead of Aunt Jemima. Of course, in my head, she will always be Aunt Jeremiah!!!

    What about Frankenberry and Count Chocula?

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  4. Desert SongbirdApril 26, 2008 at 7:44 AM

    I've always liked the Kool-Aid guy. I don't know why; maybe because my mom always had ice-cold Kool-Aid ready for us when we would play on hot summer days.

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  5. limeApril 26, 2008 at 9:34 AM

    the trix rabbit and tony the tiger. i always felt bad for the rabbit. i'd have shared my cereal with him!

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  6. ttApril 26, 2008 at 11:02 AM

    I love all of those!! Especailly 'Madge'..what a hoot! I still remember the "Brillcreme' comercial.." Brillcreme...a little dab will do ya"..
    There were such neat commercials back in the day. Uh-o...did I just show my age? Groovy!

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  7. Green-Eyed MomsterApril 26, 2008 at 11:22 AM

    The Kool Aid Man was my favorite. It amazes me how much commercials have changed since I was a kid. I'm tired of telling my kids to go ask their dad what E.D. is. I wish that drug companies for those types of drugs would advertise in magazines instead of TV. I miss the good old days. Oh, and is it just me or are the commercials louder than the show that we happen to be watching? Oh, the good old days...thanks for letting me reminisce! Have a great weekend!

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  8. A LewisApril 26, 2008 at 11:51 AM

    Oh my gosh, I had totally forgotten about Madge and Rosie! Those were definitely the days!

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  9. Maxine WeissApril 26, 2008 at 3:52 PM

    I liked 'Rula Lenska' from the Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Treatment commercials.

    Never knew who Rula Lenska was. I guess she was some Continental celebrity of some sort, but that was part of the charm. Nobody knew who she was, just that she was somebody !

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  10. CRUSTY MOM-EApril 26, 2008 at 6:27 PM

    oh my, I remember them all!

    Did you watch the show, Alice?
    loved it!
    Sincerely,
    Elizabeth

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  11. elasticwaistbandladyApril 26, 2008 at 8:40 PM

    My daughters are disappointed that they replaced the rugged guy on the Bounty paper towels with a more metrosexual man.

    My oldest and I giggle over Little Debbie boxes and say that the girl pictured on the front is actually Little Debbie's sister, Theresa because Little Debbie is morbidly obese.

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  12. elasticwaistbandladyApril 26, 2008 at 8:41 PM

    Is it inappropriate to admit that I always had a thing for the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile commercials?

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  13. Rick RockhillApril 26, 2008 at 9:37 PM

    elasticwaistbandlady- I think the old Brawny guy looked like a bad 70's porn star, or maybe Tom Selleck back in his hey day. So I'lm glad they updated the Brawny Guy!

    maxine- those alberto VO5 ads were fun, I agree.

    Lime- HOW did I forget Trix the rabbit? And they there was Count Chocula too...

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  14. Diane J StandifordApril 27, 2008 at 2:22 AM

    My mom had the hots for the Pillsbury Dough Boy.


    I liked the Milk Bone Dog.

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  15. LilianApril 27, 2008 at 8:23 AM

    The Doughboy is irresistible to me! :o)

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  16. WATApril 27, 2008 at 10:55 AM

    Hey, what about that man that used to make people squeeze the Charmin? HOOHOO HAHA!

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  17. whimsical brainpanApril 27, 2008 at 1:44 PM

    I have always kind of had a crush on Mr. Clean.

    I liked the old Maytag guy. The new one just isn't as good.

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  18. Hale McKayApril 27, 2008 at 2:51 PM

    Man, I remember them all - even those mentioned here in the comments section. Does that show my age?

    I can still see Joe Namath and Farrah Fawcett - "Let Creamy cream ya."

    ReplyDelete
  19. ScooterMay 1, 2008 at 9:13 AM

    I loved Madge. Who doesn't use the "You're soaking in it" line on a regular basis!

    Remember Nancy Walker's great cackle at the end of Murder by Death??? I can't look at her without hearing that!

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Thank you kindly.